Media Movers: Bob Dow, Steven Vass, etc

WELCOME to Media Movers, reporting the latest moves within the Scottish media, including promotions and retirements.

FIRSTLY, congratulations to former Aberdeen bureau chief at the Daily Record, Bob Dow, has been appointed a PR manager for Police Scotland, based in Aberdeen and covering the north division.

He has moved to the force’s Queen Street offices from his post as group communications manager for the ANM Group, Scotland’s biggest farmer-owned co-operative, where he worked for more than three years.

Dow was Aberdeen bureau chief at the Record for almost 20 years and also spent ten years at the Aberdeen Evening Express.

His replacement at ANM is Helen McLaren, who previously worked for the Scottish Association of Young Farmers’ Clubs. She will be doing a marketing and communications role on a part-time basis.

* * *

AND the deputy business editor at the Sunday Herald, Steven Vass, is leaving to become the first Scotland editor of The Conversation, an online newspaper that seeks to combine academic rigour with journalistic flair.

Set up in Australia by Andrew Jaspan – the former editor of The Scotsman and the Sunday Herald ( the latter, as founding editor) – The Conversation boasts Scots journalist, Stephen Khan, as its UK editor.

Says Khan: “To have an editor of Steven’s experience and skill anchoring our operation in Scotland provides The Conversation with a huge opportunity to play a significant part in the independence referendum and to be a window on the excellent research being done in Scottish universities. Steven will generate content for all sections of the site.

“The appointment completes our team for the next phase of The Conversation’s development in the UK. I am thrilled at the level of talent we have attracted to continue our growth. It is a testament to the excellent work done by the original group of editors and to the strength of the concept.”

* * *

AS reported earlier this week by allmediascotland.com, the recent former political editor of Scotland on Sunday and The Scotsman, Eddie Barnes, has started work with the Scottish Conservatives party, as director of strategy and communications.

* * *

BAUER Media has appointed Colin Reid, from Xscape Braehead, as its regional marketing manager for Scotland – as announced in a media release here, posted on allmediascotland.com.

Reid is a former community marketing manager at Scottish Rugby and also a former production manager at 999 Design.